Skype

Resources

Skype is a proprietary application owned by Microsoft for instant messaging, VoIP calls, and video conversations.

Installation

Kernel config

KERNEL

General setup  --->
    -*- Namespaces support  ---> 
        [*]   User namespace

USE flags

USE flags for net-im/skypeforlinux Instant messaging client, with support for audio and video

selinux !!internal use only!! Security Enhanced Linux support, this must be set by the selinux profile or breakage will occur

Data provided by the Gentoo Package Database · Last update: 2024-01-02 20:56 More information about USE flags

Emerge

Install net-im/skypeforlinux:

root #emerge --ask net-im/skypeforlinux

Additional USE flags

The following settings will need to be in /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords/skypeforlinux or some equivalent.

root #echo "=net-im/skypeforlinux-8.45.0.41 ~amd64" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords/skypeforlinux

Edit your pinentry usage in this way.

root #echo ">=app-crypt/pinentry-1.0.0-r2 gnome-keyring" >> /etc/portage/package.use/pinentry

and then just install the package.

root #emerge skypeforlinux

Troubleshooting

Auto-launching at KDE login

For some reason, KDE cannot remember Skype in the session it saves upon log out. This workaround will fool it into saving Skype in the session.

FILE ~/.kde4/Autostart/skype.sh

#!/bin/sh
skypeforlinux

To make the Skype main window (but not chat windows) go to a desktop or any other features of Window Rules with KDE, use this regular expression under Window Title in the settings window:

CODE

(^[A-Za-z0-9]+\s\-\s)?Skype™(\s\d+\.\d+)?\s\(Beta\)(\sfor\sLinux)?$

No video (despite video drivers being installed/loaded)

Permissions

It is possible, that your user does not have privileges to access video device. Example privileges:

user $ls -al /dev/video0

crw-rw----+ 1 root video 81, 0 Nov 25 22:03 /dev/video0

Add each Skype user to the video group:

root #gpasswd -a larry video

Where larry is substituted for the appropriate username.